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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
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│ + Tokyo Blade - Tokyo Blade + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.May-30-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2010 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........cd1: 9 cd2: 12 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.tokyoblade.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Tokyo Blade Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Tokyo Blade Label : Lemon ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ôàalways knew that this day would come soonàö ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Solid is a good word to describe Tokyo BladeÆs ║ │
│║ eight-track debut. Defensible, however, is ║ │
│║ better. You coulda gotten away with something ║ │
│║ like æsolidÆ in Æ82 and before, but this ║ │
│║ superior adjective expresses the heavier, more ║ │
│║ demanding, and more aggressive ruckus fighting ║ │
│║ its way to the frontier of metalÆs Æ83 heat-up ║ │
│║ season. Yeah, heat-up season. Follow me here. If ║ │
│║ Æ84 is the initial mass bombardment of thrash ║ │
│║ metal napalm, then Æ83 is the guy on the ground ║ │
│║ with the flamethrower, and thatÆs not a ║ │
│║ derogatory statement. Something was gaining ║ │
│║ momentum, but not really through overly rapid ║ │
│║ footwork and/or fast(er) hands. It was more like ║ │
│║ pressure - audible pressure, sonic pressure, the ║ │
│║ pressure of elevated aggression, of louder ║ │
│║ aggression, of superior aggression, of ║ │
│║ aggression ushering inàsomething else, something ║ │
│║ finallyàmetal pure, metal without the siphoned ║ │
│║ blues underbelly slowing things up, metal ║ │
│║ putting a few more layers between it and hard ║ │
│║ rockÆs thanked but unending foundation, metal ║ │
│║ that wasnÆt gonna beat around the frigginÆ bush ║ │
│║ anymore. This, of course, is all in hindsight, ║ │
│║ æcause who knew thrash a) would come to exist, ║ │
│║ b) would come to exist the following year, and ║ │
│║ c) would make most modern speed metal seem like ║ │
│║ a wheelchair race as well as be so noticeably ║ │
│║ removed from traditional metal? But prior to ║ │
│║ that, this was the smell of something ║ │
│║ traditionally burning that was prepared to bum ║ │
│║ rush whoever or whatever was on the hilltop. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ As a band, the quintet had been gelling together ║ │
│║ for a few years and ascribes to their better- ║ │
│║ than-average tightness and, I feel, overall ║ │
│║ songwriting solidarity. ItÆs only logical that ║ │
│║ this time together ultimately allowed them to ║ │
│║ mature at a (more or less) similar pace and ║ │
│║ location than most, likely benefiting mental ║ │
│║ flexibility where thoughts and ideas are more ║ │
│║ easily bounced around one another, perhaps ║ │
│║ reducing possible unknown motives and secrecy as ║ │
│║ well as in-fighting frequency, and hopefully ║ │
│║ nourishing that creative energy which floats all ║ │
│║ around this record like a vengeful spirit. And ║ │
│║ naturally, of course, just becoming more adult, ║ │
│║ for which an example could be measured in their ║ │
│║ chronological name changes, where in the late ║ │
│║ æ70s life began predictably dry as the late ║ │
│║ æ70s-saturated White Diamond, then even more ║ │
│║ dully in Æ81 as probably the 67th Killer not ║ │
│║ running anywhere near amok, becoming deadlier ║ │
│║ and more purposeful later that year and into æ82 ║ │
│║ with Genghis Khan (with one song here serving in ║ │
│║ his army prior to enlisting with TB, as well as ║ │
│║ their Æ83 Double DealinÆ indie ep that feature ║ │
│║ future TB tracks that remarkably mirror the ║ │
│║ force and concentration of their future selves), ║ │
│║ and then the Æ82 unsheathing of Tokyo Blade, a ║ │
│║ mildly mystifying choice considering the ║ │
│║ membersÆ English homestead, but that was ║ │
│║ probably the point. Maybe IÆm just wasting a ║ │
│║ pine tree. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Whatever their past, Tokyo Blade in Æ83 charge ║ │
│║ the sound of the pitted dinner bell armed with ║ │
│║ visibly-anticipated, heady nÆ heavy utensils ║ │
│║ that canÆt be missed, yet secreted in a palm is ║ │
│║ a sharp nÆ slender manicuring tool for that ║ │
│║ little bit of gristle that needs to go. Ripped ║ │
│║ into quickly are the hunks of meat that cover ║ │
│║ most of the table: bloody ôPowergameö, rowdy and ║ │
│║ dual-soloed ôKiller Cityö, coolly-chorused ║ │
│║ ôLiarö and ôSunrise in Tokyoö, middleweight ║ │
│║ bruiser ôBreak the Chainsö, and KhanÆs former ║ │
│║ soldier ôIf Heaven is Hellö. For me, much of it ║ │
│║ is about a releaseÆs leg-breakers and the ║ │
│║ placing of them. You donÆt know how many screw ║ │
│║ this simple thing up. No worries here, however, ║ │
│║ æcause with an uncommon six of them weÆre served ║ │
│║ a logical split of three per side where they ║ │
│║ obligingly squeeze out space for the storytold- ║ │
│║ paced and interest-dribbled ôOn Through the ║ │
│║ Nightö as well as the discÆs only alien, the ║ │
│║ Russ Ballard-penned (often covered ║ │
│║ singer/songwriter and ex of fairly low rent ║ │
│║ mid-æ70s rockers Argent) stinker ôTonightö, an ║ │
│║ obvious pop cover that methodically picks its ║ │
│║ nose in side twoÆs right field, which as usual ║ │
│║ is the second from last song. And just to show ║ │
│║ how unstuffy they are, the outro/finale is an ║ │
│║ unnamed (on either version), seventy-three ║ │
│║ second, cowbell-blessed, piano-led, minutely- ║ │
│║ slapsticky, The Outlaw Josie Wales band-wide old ║ │
│║ country chorus where brought to life is the tale ║ │
│║ of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, which ║ │
│║ over time has apparently become its title. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Vocalist Alan Marsh waves at these tunes from ║ │
│║ what seems to be the contralto seats, above yer ║ │
│║ mid-priced tenor section, though not as high- ║ │
│║ ticketed as mezzo-soprano, and even though heÆs ║ │
│║ obviously capable, his attempts to sneak up ║ │
│║ there are quite rare (but of course the stupid ║ │
│║ outro gets one æo these). Tandem team Andy ║ │
│║ Boulton and John Wiggens (and Ray Dismore, who ║ │
│║ only plays on ôIf Heaven is Hellö which, ║ │
│║ incidentally, has a dual solo) use those years ║ │
│║ together as an asset, pulling off some pretty ║ │
│║ nifty twin axe work that would be criminal if ║ │
│║ complained about. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Tokyo Blade, the album, flies by pretty quickly ║ │
│║ and thereÆs no wondering why. With six tunes ║ │
│║ feasting with both hands, there isnÆt much ║ │
│║ dainty napkin-dabbing, and had gutter ball ║ │
│║ ôTonightö simply gotten lost somewhere in the ║ │
│║ ball return, the alley between ôLiarö and ║ │
│║ ôSunrise in Tokyoö couldÆve been filled by ║ │
│║ already-recorded and nowhere-near-waste-of- ║ │
│║ spacers like ôMeanstreakö (when it was one ║ │
│║ word), ôHighway Passionö, or ôMidnight ║ │
│║ Rendezvousö if they didnÆt saveàthemàforàhey! ║ │
│║ Well tickle my pickle, æcause thatÆs exactly ║ │
│║ what they did, for the Æ84 Combat Records ║ │
│║ version, bumping ôTonightö, ôOn Through the ║ │
│║ Nightö and, sadly, ôLiarö for the twisters ║ │
│║ above. Here and now starts the confusing and ║ │
│║ hard to explain headache brought on by the ║ │
│║ bandÆs early discography where releases a mere ║ │
│║ year apart have the same cover and lots of the ║ │
│║ same songs, yet a different name, but further ║ │
│║ gumming up the works is an ep with the same ║ │
│║ name, cover andàpffftt. Calculus may be easier. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Fun fact #u8d+0: the albumÆs insert is nothing ║ │
│║ more than a one-sided order form for TB ║ │
│║ merchandise including a t-shirt or sweatshirt ║ │
│║ with your choice of the unflattering cover of ║ │
│║ their If Heaven Is Hell single or, well, the ║ │
│║ unflattering cover of their 2nd Cut single. ║ │
│║ D.I.Y. or die, man. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ôàthe end, it is near, and a tear fills your ║ │
│║ eyeàö ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ------------------------------------------------ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Produced by Kevin D. Nixon. Recorded at Stable ║ │
│║ Studios, engineered at Wickham Studios by Ralph ║ │
│║ Jezzard and mixed at Rooster Studios by Tony ║ │
│║ Spath except track 3, which was produced, ║ │
│║ engineered, and mixed by Andy Allen at Cave ║ │
│║ Studios, Bristol. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ "Tonight" was originally performed by Russ ║ │
│║ Ballard ║ │
│║ "Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia" is not listed ║ │
│║ on this pressing's album sleeve or label. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Re-released by High Vaultage in 1997 with five ║ │
│║ bonus tracks from 'Midnight Rendezvous' EP: ║ │
│║ 1. If Heaven Is Hell ║ │
│║ 2. Highway Passion ║ │
│║ 3. Midnight Rendezvous ║ │
│║ 4. Mean Streak ║ │
│║ 5. Death On Main Street ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Remastered in 2010 by Lemon Records with bonus ║ │
│║ songs in a second CD: ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ 1. Death On Main Street ║ │
│║ 2. Madame Guillotine (Madame Guillotine EP) ║ │
│║ 3. Breakout (Madame Guillotine EP) ║ │
│║ 4. Love Struck (Madame Guillotine EP) ║ │
│║ 5. Midnight Rendezvous (Midnight Rendezvous EP) ║ │
│║ 6. Mean Streak (Midnight Rendezvous EP) ║ │
│║ 7. If Heaven Is Hell (Midnight Rendezvous EP) ║ │
│║ 8. Highway Passion (Midnight Rendezvous EP) ║ │
│║ 9. Shadows of Insanity (The Cave Sessions) ║ │
│║ 10. School House Is Burning (The Cave Sessions) ║ │
│║ 11. Jezzabel (The Cave Sessions) ║ │
│║ 12. Monkey's Blood (The Cave Sessions) ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ - CD1 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Powergame [04:14] │
│ 02 - Break The Chains [05:08] │
│ 03 - If Heaven Is Hell [06:05] │
│ 04 - On Through The Night [07:31] │
│ 05 - Killer City [05:48] │
│ 06 - Liar [05:36] │
│ 07 - Tonight [04:04] │
│ 08 - Sunrise In Tokyo [05:49] │
│ 09 - Blue Ridge Mountains Of Virginia [01:12] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - CD2 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Death On Main Street (Bonus Track) [03:37] │
│ 02 - Madame Guillotine [04:42] │
│ 03 - Breakout [03:45] │
│ 04 - Love Struck [03:45] │
│ 05 - Midnight Rendezvous [03:24] │
│ 06 - Mean Streak [04:46] │
│ 07 - If Heaven Is Hell [06:02] │
│ 08 - Highway Passion [04:26] │
│ 09 - Shadows Of Insanity [04:54] │
│ 10 - School House Is Burning [04:04] │
│ 11 - Jezzabel [03:14] │
│ 12 - Monkey┤s Blood [03:38] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [95:44 minn │
│ │
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│ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
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